Local organizations offer nice selections and a way to give back to the community.

If shopping for a Christmas tree is still on your to-do list, we've got a great tip for you.

We're not going to tell you to put a tomato plant cage upside down in the living room and stuff it full of evergreen limbs that fell down during Hurricane Sandy. Actually, that's not such a bad idea.

We want to suggest giving a little back to your community while buying something you need. It may not be the cheapest route. But it's a smart way to put that money to use in your community.

And there are charitable Christmas tree sales aplenty throughout the Valley to help you do that. Plus, those sales offer pretty good prices on some beautiful trees because they are mostly run by volunteers.

The Fountain Hill Fire Department sells trees for $30 at Spiegel and Dodson streets, just behind the Wawa on Broadway. It also sells tree stands and bags that make cleaning up easier after the holiday. The volunteer company raises about $3,000 to $4,000 each year selling trees, which it uses to buy protective equipment, Assistant Chief David Boehrer said.

"Mainly we use it for extra protective equipment to offset some of the costs," David said. "Instead of asking the borough for money, we try to get it ourselves."

Their Christmas tree sale is open 3-8 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 3-9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. You can see some of the trees and soak up the festive ambience in a video at mcall.com/onthecheap.

One of our favorite Christmas tree sales supports North Central Little League and the Bethlehem Stars girls softball team. And we're not just saying that because we coached some of the coolest 7- and 8-year-old Little Leaguers last year.

The sale is in the CVS shopping center at Stefko and Easton avenues in Bethlehem. It runs through Dec. 23 with trees for sale 5-9 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 3-9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Trees cost $30 to $35, and the league uses proceeds to maintain equipment for field maintenance, to stock first aid kits, pay insurance and other necessities, said Barry Gangwer Jr., president of North Central.

Another option in Bethlehem is the Bethlehem Steelers Athletic Association's tree sale that benefits youth football and cheerleading. The stand is open 5:30-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday on the fields at Schoenersville Road and Eighth Avenue.

We were hoping to plug the Easton Area High School baseball team's Christmas tree sale, but they already sold all their trees. Still, it's worth noting that the team uses some of the proceeds to bring trees to about 30 needy families in the region.

"We show up at the house and most of the younger kids will say, 'This is our tree. We really have a tree this year,'" said Greg Hess, assistant coach of the team and the high school's assistant athletic director. "It brings our players back to what Christmas is really about. It's not about the money and the hoopla. It's about giving back to the community."